


True Love's Kiss

by Bisexualsugden (jemiu)



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Coma, Hospital, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-04
Updated: 2015-09-04
Packaged: 2018-04-19 02:12:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4728917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jemiu/pseuds/Bisexualsugden
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Robert is in a coma, and Aaron struggles while visiting him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	True Love's Kiss

Aaron hated loving Robert so much that he loved to hate him. He cultivated his hate for Robert so much that–sometimes–he was able to forget how much he loved that selfish man. His hate kept him afloat in the unsteady waters, his love sinking deeper and deeper toward the ocean floor. This way, Aaron was safe above water.

But every part of that system fell apart when Aaron heard the news that Robert had nearly lost his life–and he might still lose it. His boat was sinking fast, and he needed to do something to find his way back to land before he was lost to the feelings he had worked so hard to bury.

Despite knowing that, something Aaron didn’t quite understand had compelled him to drive to the hospital. He didn’t want to say that love had brought him there, but he felt the waters churning and boiling with concern for a man he wanted to hate. For a long while, Aaron stood outside Robert’s hospital room and contemplated the door handle. Eventually, when he worked up the courage to turn the handle, his eyes had gone red and his body cold.

As he stepped into Robert’s room, he stopped at the door and took in the barrenness of the space, looking anywhere but at Robert. There were no flowers, no gifts, no cards wishing him well–not that he could read them, anyway. Had no one come to visit him? Surely Victoria and Diane just hadn’t made it yet. Maybe they were just too busy. Of course, it had already been four days, which should have been plenty of time to squeeze in a visit, but Aaron avoided lingering on that thought. Maybe everyone figured there wasn’t any point for someone in a coma.

Or maybe no one cared.

Fuck, he was going to get this over with. With a few quick steps, Aaron was beside Robert’s bed, and he dropped his gaze until it fell heavy on Robert’s still face. The man was the picture of serenity, his face soft and skin glowing. How the fuck was that possible after such a savage beating? The sight disgusted Aaron–infuriated him at his core. Leave it to Robert to be the one totally at peace, uncaring of the turmoil his unconscious body was causing the entire village–causing Aaron. Aaron’s eyes welled up and he tore his lip between his teeth. The sterile smell of the room curled up his nose. A painful heat rose from his chest and snaked up his throat, and he realized he was about to throw up. He jerked his head away, quelling the urge by burying his face into the crook of his elbow.

After a few moments, Aaron’s breath slowed down. He pulled a chair near Robert, still not looking directly at him, and then he wiped his tears on his sleeves as he sat down. This scenario was stupid. Why was he here? He hated Robert, hated him… Looking squarely at the door to make sure no one walked in, Aaron bit his lip again.

“Hey, Robert.”

He looked down at Robert’s torso, watching his chest rise and fall for a moment. His eyes darted to the door again, making sure no one caught him talking to himself like a damn fool.

“I said ‘hey’.”

He managed to lift his gaze as high as Robert’s shoulders.

“Not exactly fair what you’re doin’ here.” He frowned. “Typical, really.”

Taking in a deep breath that rattled his frame, Aaron turned his eyes to Robert’s closed lids. His long lashes kissed the freckles on his cheeks. Warmth radiated from his skin, making him seem healthier than he really was–as if in the absence of a conscious mind, his skin was doing the lying for him. His lips were pink and plump, and, unable to repress the urge, Aaron ran his thumb across Robert’s bottom lip, pressing until his lips parted. He jerked his hand away as soon as he felt a slight bit of moisture, the wetness a frightening reminder of how Robert was both alive–and not. He wrapped his hands in his lap, checking there were no onlookers by the door or window as he tried to calm his breathing. But there was no calming his breathing–there was no way out of this sea. He was lost in deep waters now, and he had no lifejacket.

For a while, Aaron just sat there, strangely afraid to leave Robert’s side. It wouldn’t be right to leave him, Aaron had thought–Rob was lost at sea as well, after all. He checked his phone and fiddled with the edges of Robert’s hospital gown, poking and prodding Rob to see if anything happened. Nothing did. After a while, Aaron rested his hands on Robert’s arm, tightening and loosening his grip in varying degrees. He had heard before that people in comas can sometimes hear what people say, but he wasn’t sure if that was just a fanciful thing from movies or if it was the truth. But he might as well try it again.

“Smug, aren’t you?” he asked, watching his own hands massage Robert’s arm. “Probably one of your schemes, ey?”

He knew that was nonsense, but some part of him hoped it would be true–because that meant Robert would wake up. His heart raced at the thought of Robert waking up and having some sort of brain damage. What if it didn’t matter if he woke up? What if he was hurt like Jackson had been? What if he wished he hadn’t woken up?

He could be asleep, one gentle nudge away from waking up and smiling brightly at Aaron, just like it had been during their week together at Home Farm. Except there were no tubes or machines beeping where they had curled up together in Robert’s bed. Aaron lifted himself from his seat and leaned over Robert.

“Who did this to you?” He felt like an idiot hoping that he might get a response, that his breath on Robert’s face might stir him awake. With their faces so close together, Aaron realized with a pang that Robert, too, smelled sterile like the hospital, exposing his lack of health. The fresh look of his skin could only keep up the charade so long, like all of Robert’s little masquerades. No doubt another game had put Robert in this hospital bed, and this time there was no guarantee of Robert coming out on top.

Aaron wondered if he had nurtured his love a little more and his hate a little less–if he had just shown Robert some kindness–if maybe then, he would have gotten past all the scheming and wouldn’t be here, a shell of who he was. Maybe if he had jumped headfirst into the waters and learned to swim in the storm, maybe then… A silly thought occurred to Aaron–maybe if speech didn’t wake Robert, something else would.

Careful of Robert’s oxygen tube, Aaron pressed his lips to Robert’s. He felt his own lips shaking and tightened them together to steady them so he could better detect even the tiniest reaction from Robert. But Robert’s mouth was flaccid underneath his, completely lifeless. Aaron pressed even harder, desperate for a response, but teeth just clashed into teeth.

He pulled back up, gulping in air and inspecting the door for onlookers yet again.

“Had to give it a try,” he said, half-speaking to Robert, half-defending his madness to himself.

He rubbed tears from his cheeks and pressed his cold palms against them in an attempt to soothe his burning embarrassment. So much for true love’s kiss. He continued to stand and stare at Robert, foolishly hoping for any slight movement, any sign that his presence helped. As he heard someone jostle the door handle, Aaron dropped his hands to his sides and blinked, hoping it wouldn’t be obvious that he had just been crying like a child.

Diane came through the door holding a small bouquet of flowers.

“What’s the matter, dear?” she asked. “Your face is bright red!”

“Went for a run.”

She gave him a knowing look and placed the flowers on Robert’s bedside table.

“I’m sure he appreciates that you’re here,” she said.

“Just came by to be polite.”

“Well, why don’t you stay a bit? Sit with me so I don’t get bored.”

He knew what she was doing–trying to make him feel more at ease sticking around–but he took the opportunity anyway, not ready to leave Robert’s side. The pair sat in silence side by side, watching over Robert. When Aaron began to nod off, Diane tapped his knee.

“We’ve been here a while. Best be getting off.”

“Yeah,” Aaron replied. “Soon.”

“You know, I care about him, too,” she said.

“I don’t just…”

“I know,” she said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“Yeah, but…” He couldn’t find the words, wasn’t even sure of what he was trying to say, but he knew he was afraid for Robert, and so he lifted both his arms, gesturing in Robert’s direction. He gave her a desperate look, eyes wet again. Diane smiled, understanding better than Aaron what Aaron’s own fear was.

“He knows, too, dear.”

Somewhere inside Aaron, the raging waters calmed.


End file.
